Who knew cookies date back to ancient Egypt? From their practical role for sailors in the Middle Ages to their modernization thanks to a 17th century pastry chef, these sweets have transcended the ages. Today, the city of Nantes is still the center of success in France.
AN cookies found their first traces in theAncient Egypt. The Egyptians, worried about it keep their food, they had the idea of adding honey to their bread and baking it twice. Innovative technology developed by them shelf life.
But the a real turning point happened in the Middle Ages, when cookies became an essential part of sea travel. Sailors then prepare simple cakes made of flour, eggs and water, baked twice to remove all traces of moisture. It was also at this time that the word “biscuit” took on its full meaning: in Latin, bread cookies means “double-baked bread”. These “sea cookies” will be an essential solution for long journeys.
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From convenient products to refined elegance
It was not until the 17th century that the biscuit received a fine. François de La Varenne, a famous French pastry chef, modified the preparation by codifying the “ribbon work” method. By beating egg yolks and sugar for a long time, he gets a softer dough.
At the same time, new flavors appear: vanilla, chocolate, coffee and even jam filling. Previously reserved for sailors, the biscuit became a luxury product popular in aristocratic salons. Eventually the rise of industry in the 19th century democratized cookies. England and France became major players in this mass production, making biscuits accessible to a wider audience.
Nantes, the cradle of French biscuits
In France, Nantes becomes the starting point of a “biscuit revolution”. Its strategic location as a port city gives it privileged access to raw materials such as cane sugar from the West Indies. With its maritime tradition, Nantes is seeing the emergence of iconic companies such as LU, founded by Louis Lefèvre-Utile. In 1886, the latter launched Petit Beurre, which quickly became successful. Biscuiterie Nantaise (BN), LU’s main competitor, is then making history with creations such as Casse-Croûte BN and Choco BN.
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2024-11-14 09:21:00
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